Your Number One Fan
by Morbid Nonsense
Summary: Sakura finally confesses to Nozaki, and as a result, Nozaki is even more confused about how he feels about Sakura. Hope it's not too bad, Sakura's a bit (read: VERY) OOC.
1. Chapter 1

Nozaki lay on his side, pretending to sleep. What did he really think about Sakura? He'd say that they were pretty good friends, but the way that Hori, Mikoshiba, and Wakamatsu phrased the question, it sounded like they were asking if he saw her in a romantic way.

Before the sleepover, he would have responded immediately with, "We are just friends," and that would be the end of it. Time had passed quickly after the sleepover, and it had already been two months since then. Sakura was currently sitting next to him, and helping him ink the latest chapter of _Let's Fall in Love_.

"Nozaki? You seem very silent today." Sakura's voice always made him at ease. There was just something about her that made him happy.

"I suppose I have been. I've been thinking." She cocked her head slightly to the left, her trademark ribbons adorably flopping to the left as well.

"About _Let's Fall in Love_? I-I'm not too good with ideas, but, um, I could–" Nozaki shook his head.

"No, not about the manga." Sakura was shocked, her eyes wide. She didn't think that it was possible for Nozaki to think about anything but his manga. She wondered what could possibly be so important to Nozaki that even _Let's Love_ was put aside. "It's you."

Sakura blushed crimson from ear to ear. Did he mean what she thought he meant? It was almost too much to hope for! "U-u-u-um, what d-d-do you m-m-mean?" Even though her overly excited heart had been provoked too many times before and disappointed, she wished that this time would be different.

Nozaki, oblivious as usual to what was going on in Sakura's mind, maintained his usual stoic appearance. If Umetaro Nozaki expressed emotion, it was very surprising to say the least. "Well, Hori, Mikoshiba, and Wakamatsu and I had a sleepover a couple of months ago, and they asked me how I felt about you." Sakura struggled to keep her composure, and managed to ask, "Well, how do you, uh, feel about me?"

"In all truth, I'm not sure." Sakura, eager to confess her feelings once more, burst out with, "I'm your number one fan!" Nozaki raised an eyebrow, curious as to why she would need an autograph all of a sudden, and pulled out a piece of paper and signed it, proud of himself for anticipating what she wanted so readily.

Sakura silently accepted his autograph for what seemed to be the millionth time. They spent the rest of the time working quietly, and after an hour, Nozaki stood up, and walked her to the door.

"I really like you! Not a-as a fan, but as a person. I've always liked you, and I know that the most important thing to you right now is your manga… and I… I know that you don't even like me back, b-b-but that's, that's not important… I just, I just want you to know that I like you. I like you so much that it hurts to be around you." Nozaki was stunned into silence by this outburst, and noticed that Sakura was sobbing silently, seemingly not aware of her own tears. Nozaki pulled her close out of instinct, and pondered, not for the first time, how he felt towards Sakura.

She sniffled, and tried to get herself together. _I'm so pathetic,_ she thought. _You didn't need to pour your heart out. That was unnecessary. I thought I was going to never tell him, and just be glad being his friend. _ "You know, it's all right. I know you don't really have feelings for me, and your dream is more important than me anyway. I… Is it okay if I keep my distance for a while? I don't know what brought this on. I-I'm really sorry Nozaki." He was still shocked, and replied with, "It's okay. I don't mind."

"All right then. I'll be leaving now. Goodbye, Nozaki." He stared after her, and inwardly felt… guilt? What did he do wrong? How did he go wrong? He was a horrible friend, and after all this time, he had made Sakura feel so terrible. His heart stirred. _Wait! Come back! _He was not able to even open his mouth. Why did he want her to come back? Weren't they friends? Was this what Mamiko felt for Suzuki? Was it love?

The next day, Sakura ducked her eyes, and avoided Nozaki. He longed for her to be close to him, and could not even think of _Let's Fall in Love._


	2. Chapter 2

Nozaki let out a sigh. He hadn't realized that Sakura had liked him, even though she had thrown so many signs at him. He was dense. He would give her space, even though it hurt to not be able to talk to her. He longed for the closeness they had before. In all truth, he wasn't completely sure how he felt about Sakura. On one hand, he wanted to take away her pain, and make her happy again. But he wasn't sure if he felt that way about her, and in the end, that would just hurt her more.

Part of his mind insisted that Sakura said that she just needed to be away from him, and it wasn't his problem. It was his problem, however. Sakura was his friend, and he cared about her. Maybe even more than he ever had about any other person. He just wanted things to be normal again, for them to be able to hang out without weirdness. That probably wasn't possible, because it would feel like he was leading her on.

What if it was just better to end the friendship? He definitely did not want that to happen, but if it was the best thing to do… No. There had to be another option. It was selfish, but he did not want Sakura out of his life. Mikoshiba, Wakamatsu, Mayu, and Hori were wonderful friends, but no person in his life made him feel so happy except her.

Meanwhile, Sakura lay down on her bed, slightly depressed. She had messed up so badly. It really wasn't Nozaki's fault. It was all hers. Why had she said that? It had sounded so… stupid and self-centered. Why? What did she expect? She didn't think that she could be around him for a while.

She wanted more than anything to be with him. She had ruined their friendship. Now that she thought about it, she didn't know much about him. Why had she liked him in the first place? Was it because he lifted her up? Why? Maybe she'd sensed that he was a nice guy. Was that the extent of her attraction to him? Why?

What did she even know about Nozaki? Once she got over her stupidity, she would apologize and beg for his forgiveness. Hopefully, she would get over her attraction, and be able to stand by him as just a friend. She would do her best to get closer to him, and get to know him. Since she had met him, all she had done was try and get closer to Nozaki. She missed him so much. She thought she was ready to face him, but apparently not.

Nozaki bit his lip, inwardly banging his head on a wall. _"It's okay. I don't mind."_ Ugh. Who was he kidding? He needed to talk to someone to get all his feelings out. Mikoshiba was a good person. Maybe he could help. He grabbed his phone, and typed _Mikorin_ in.

"Hello? Nozaki, this is a pleasant surprise. Do you need me to come over and bring my stuff?" So he had only contacted his friends for help with the manga. No wonder Sakura had left him then.

"No. I need help with another matter. It's Sakura." He heard an intake of breath on the other side.

"I see. Is she all right? Is she hurt?" Nozaki bit his lip harder. He had hurt Sakura with his ignorance.

"Yes, in a way, she is hurt. Could you come over, if it's not too inconveniencing?" Mikoshiba chuckled.

"I never have plans, you know that. I'll be over in five minutes." Nozaki smiled, despite the current situation.


	3. Chapter 3

"What happened to Sakura?" Nozaki's eyebrows raised slightly at the disheveled state his friend was in. His usually sleek scarlet mane was in disarray, his face red, mouth panting, and chest heaving. It was quite a sight, he noted amusedly.

"She, er, confessed to me. And she's pretty upset. She said she needed space for a while." His companion let out a knowing sigh. He understood the situation all too well, as Sakura had confided in him her concerns and fears. Perhaps it was better to have let her feelings loose than keeping them pent up.

"Naturally, she's upset. She had very strong feelings about you." Nozaki was surprised, something rarely seen. Mikorin had known Sakura liked him this whole time?

"If you had known that Sakura liked me, why didn't you mention it?" Mikoshiba shrugged.

"It wasn't my place to say. Anyway, getting back to Sakura, how do you want to move from here?" Nozaki's brow furrowed. He actually hadn't thought that far. Mikoshiba saw, and exhaled forcefully in exasperation. As brilliant as his friend was in his shoujo manga, he was ironically inexperenced in the ways of love. He valued both of his best friends' happiness, and Sakura obviously was not going to make another attempt at Nozaki's heart.

"I plan to give her some space, and reflect on what I did wrong, and how I can make Sakura cheerful again without implicating her. I want to be her friend again, so I want to give her time to heal. But ultimately, it's up to her if she wants to be friends. I don't want to force her into something she doesn't want."

"That's good. What are you going to do, though, if she doesn't want to be around you?"

"I...really have no idea. I know I said that I don't want to force her, but I also don't want her out of my life." Nozaki saw that he had said the right answer by the red-head's beaming grin.

"Don't give her up! How do you feel about Sakura?"

"I'm still not sure, but I don't want her to leave me. Life would be really lonely without her." Mikoshiba nodded.

"Wait for her to approach you. Then make your move."

"What if she doesn't come back?"

"She will. She cares about you."

"I'll wait then."


	4. Chapter 4

Nozaki had to wait three days to work up enough nerve to face Sakura and apologize. It was funny, he had never felt nervous about anything except when Ken-san was viewing an idea. During those three days he watched Sakura carefully. Her face was always looking down, as if examining the floor for places she might trip. When he did see her face, it was permanently fixed with a heartbroken look full of regret.

During the short time that he had known Sakura, he'd never seen her without a smile. It had sort of gotten to the point that he forgot she had other emotions, and was human. He had taken her prescence for granted and didn't realize how important she was to the group. Mikorin stood by him, but his heart was uneasy.

Sakura had said she wanted space, but space was the last thing on her mind. Seo had noticed how uncharacteristically silent she had been for the past few days, but she assured that it would all pass. Her monthly cycle was affecting her more than usual, was her excuse. Of course, her dear friend knew much more was at hand, but accepted the pathetic lie and did not push the subject.

The past days since the Incident (yes, capitalized because it was no ordinary event), her body had been going through the motions and not truly experiencing what was going on around her. Today had been different. She glanced subtly at Nozaki (she was quite the expert at not drawing his attention), and tried to gauge his emotions. She was shocked to see that his countenance showed a worry and bewilderment she'd never seen on him before. The way his furrowed brows crinkled his nose hit her heart hard. His head was balanced on his right fist, all the while biting his lip and tapping his pencil lightly against a desk. What made her chest feel so painful though was his eyes. They were hurt and confused, and she knew she was the cause of it.

She would apologize for all she had done today and ask if they could still be friends. Her heart had a spurt of hope, and she felt like herself again.


	5. Chapter 5

The school day ended faster than Sakura expected. The day had ended differently. She gave Seo a smile, and told her to stay safe. Mikorin had been staring at her and Nozaki worriedly, but she assured him that she would fix the situation after school. The sky was dark, and it was pouring quite heavily. Mikorin patted her head and wished her luck with her quest. With reluctance, she watched him run into the downpour, shielding himself with a plain black umbrella. She had talked to Nozaki on multiple occasions alone, but she was never this nervous.

She didn't want him to hate her. She felt as if her heart would break if he did. She probably deserved it, but she wasn't sure she could ever show her face at school ever again. Her head shot up as she heard the familiar footsteps of her target.

"H-hey, Nozaki." Sakura's eyes were pressed tight, not wanting to see his expression when he rejected her.

"Sakura. I'm sorry." His low voice sent shivers down her spine, as usual. She opened her eyes hesitantly, slowly lifting her face to look at his. Nozaki's infrequent smile stabbed her heart viciously. She broke down, sobbing, and prostrated herself.

"I-I-It's not your fault. It's mine, and I'm really, really sorry! I hope you can forgive me for burdening you with my troubles. I hope you can take me as a friend eventually. Just please, forget my feelings. I'm sure I'll get over you eventually. I just want you to know that I really love you." Nozaki was still shocked, but he touched her shoulder gently. His touch made her angry, for some reason.

"Don't touch me! I don't deserve to be touched or even acknowledged by you! I'm a miserable human being, and it's best if you just distance yourself from me. I don't want to hurt you anymore. These past few days have been hell for me. I didn't even know if I could face you because I was so disgusted with what I'd done to you. I love you, and that's enough for me... please, leave me alone..." Sakura's outburst made a few tears fall from his eyes as well.

"I love you, too, even if it's as a friend. And I'm not about to leave you alone when you're a mess. You're my friend, and I don't leave my friends alone. Here, get up." He offered his hand, and Sakura stared at him again. His forlorn smile made her cry even more, but she accepted his hand. He ushered her under his jacket.

"Shall we go, Sakura?" His earnest eyes forced her to stand up, and she laughed, genuinely, for the first time in days. Nozaki had always loved her smile. It was what had drawn him to her in the first place. Her laugh was like tinkling bells, and he was glad that they were friends. He forgave her.

He escorted her to her house. Her beaming face spoke for her. _Thank you._

**A/N: I've received 5 reviews/PMs. I'm still working out the details for the ending, which may be in the next chapter. It depends on what I come up with until then. For the readers who are expecting romance, take note that this is tagged Angst, and there is no subgenre. Anyway, it'll come eventually. Please hang in there! **


	6. Chapter 6

Sakura sat happily next to Nozaki at a coffee shop near school. She was well aware that though their relationship would never go past friendship, she was fine with it. Her outburst about four days ago had made her mollified afterward, and she apologized at school the next day.

Nozaki was much more conscious of his words and actions around his friend, making sure that he never hurt her emotionally by accident. Since he admitted that he loved her too, they had become much more close, physically and emotionally. They were shoulder to arm, and the subtle smell of flowers wafted and pleasantly settled in his nose.

He looked over at what she was doing, and saw her sketching the café, including them. He really admired her art style. Even though it wasn't similar to his, all her's had a certain elegance to it, especially since it was classical. She paid a lot of attention to detail, and when she got to his face, she lovingly created the contours with carefulness. She caught his eye, and smiled, making his heart rush, surprising him.

So this what caring for someone was like. It was nice to focus on something else besides his manga.

"Nozaki? Can you hand me my pencil case? It's right next to you." He reached over, and handed her the bag. True to Sakura's cute nature, it had a bunny keychain.

"Here. You can call me by my first name, if you want." Her face turned a striking shade of vermillion, and he laughed for the second time around her. She knew regardless of their situation, she would always have a special place for him in her heart. The intimacy implied by a first name basis was almost too much. Almost.

"A-are you serious?" She was sure her face was so red that she was surprised it hadn't caught on fire yet.

"Yeah. I'm serious. You're the person I'm closest to, so of course, we can be on a first name basis." That was it. She was dead.

"Um... Um, U-Ume, Umetaro?" Her face was the brightest red it had ever been in her life, and she hid her face in her hands out of embarrassment. "You can, um, also call me by my first name, if you want. I–mean, if you want to, you don't need to, but it'd be really nice if you could?"

"Chiyo?" She fainted dead away. His smooth voice resonated in her head, repeating her name over and over.

Nozaki cradled her in his arms, and left the shop. He walked her home, and she woke up.

"Hi, Noza-Umetaro," she mumbled sleepily. She opened her eyes fully and saw that she was being held by him. "Um, is, is it all right if I..."

"Yes?"

"Do you mind if I stay here a bit longer?" Her face shone like a ripe strawberry.

"Of course." She got down five minutes later, and they sat next to each other. Nozaki and Sakura sat with no distance in between them, and both were content.

**A/N: This is the end of Your Number One Fan. Thanks to all who supported the story! I hope you guys liked the ending, and I apologize to those who don't. **


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